More specific blood tests, such as the monospot and heterophile antibody tests, can confirm the diagnosis of mono. The incubation period for signs of mono, meaning the time from the initial viral infection until the appearance of symptoms, is between four and eight weeks. During an infection, a person is likely able to transmit the virus to others for at least a few weeks and possibly longer, even after symptoms have disappeared.
Patients can continue to have virus particles present in their saliva for as long as 18 months after the initial infection. When symptoms persist for more than six months, the condition is frequently called “chronic” EBV infection. However, laboratory tests generally cannot confirm continued active EBV infection in people with “chronic” EBV infection.
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